Kamari Murphy

Kamari Murphy
No. 21 – Zastal Zielona Góra
PositionPower forward
LeaguePLK
Personal information
Born (1993-12-14) December 14, 1993 (age 31)
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight218 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High school
College
NBA draft2017: undrafted
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2019Long Island Nets
2019–2020Rasta Vechta
2020–2021Fraport Skyliners
2021–2022Kalev/Cramo
2022–2023GTK Gliwice
2023–2024Scaligera Verona
2024–presentZastal Zielona Góra
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Kamari Michael Murphy (born December 14, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for Zastal Zielona Góra of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). He played college basketball for Oklahoma State and Miami (Fla.).

Early life

Murphy grew up in East New York, Brooklyn and began playing basketball at the age of nine after his stepfather forced him to stop playing video games.[1] Murphy played high school basketball at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, New York alongside Isaiah Whitehead. Murphy had 14 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks in a 56–54 win over Cardozo High School in the 2011 PSAL tournament semifinals.[2] Murphy was ranked the No. 6 prospect in New York by HoopScoop in 2011. He played at IMG Academy as a postgraduate.[3] He considered Miami for college, but was dissuaded because of the 2011 University of Miami athletics scandal involving booster Nevin Shapiro, and ultimately committed to Oklahoma State.[4]

College career

As a freshman at Oklahoma State, Murphy started 15 games and averaged 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.[5] Murphy averaged 6.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. However, he felt he was not "being used properly," and decided to transfer to the Miami Hurricanes, sitting out the 2014–15 season as a redshirt.[6] As a junior, Murphy averaged 5.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.[7] On December 3, 2016, Murphy had a career-high 14 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to help Miami defeat Wofford 74–57 in the HoopHall Miami Invitational and was selected as its most valuable player.[8] Murphy started all 33 games as a senior, averaging 7.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game and posting four double-doubles.[9]

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2017 NBA draft, Murphy signed a summer league deal with the Brooklyn Nets.[9] He signed with the Nets in October 2017 but was waived before the season.[10] He subsequently joined the G League Long Island Nets, contributing 21 points and 14 rebounds in his first game.[11] Murphy signed with B.C. Oostende of the Belgian league in August 2018, but never joined the team due to an injury.[12] He instead returned to Long Island. Murphy missed three games in February 2019 due to hip soreness.[13] On February 27, Murphy posted 16 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and one assist in a win over the Delaware Blue Coats.[14] He averaged 8.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game during the 2018–19 season. In July 2019, Murphy signed with Rasta Vechta of the German Basketball Bundesliga.[15] On October 15, Murphy scored 15 points in a 89–76 win over Anwil Wloclawek.[16] Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Murphy cancelled his contract with the club on March 23, 2020.[17]

On September 26, 2020, he signed a 1+1 deal with the Fraport Skyliners.[18] On August 1, 2021, he signed with Kalev/Cramo in the Latvian–Estonian Basketball League.[19]

On July 22, 2022, he has signed with GTK Gliwice of the Polish Basketball League (PLK).[20]

On July 17, 2024, he signed with Zastal Zielona Góra of the Polish Basketball League (PLK).[21]

References

  1. ^ Alvarez, Amanda (March 7, 2017). "Back to Brooklyn: The Kamari Murphy story". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  2. ^ Abramson, Mitch (March 9, 2011). "Freshman Isaiah Whitehead helps Lincoln reach PSAL title game with wild 56-54 win over Cardozo". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Porter, Matt (June 11, 2014). "Basketball: Hurricanes land Oklahoma State transfer Kamari Murphy". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  4. ^ Chirinos, Christy (September 24, 2015). "Kamari Murphy ready to – finally – suit up for Hurricanes". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  5. ^ "OSU's Kamari Murphy transfers to UM basketball team". Miami Herald. June 20, 2014.
  6. ^ Kaufman, Michelle (September 22, 2015). "Transfer Kamari Murphy ready to finally don Miami Hurricanes uniform". Miami Herald. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  7. ^ "Miami Preview Capsule". Sports Illustrated. October 26, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  8. ^ Wine, Steven (December 3, 2016). "Murphy leads Miami past Wofford 74-57". Edwardsville Intelligencer. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "2017 NBA Draft: Miami Hurricanes' Kamari Murphy signs with Brooklyn Nets". Palm Beach Post. June 23, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  10. ^ "Nets' Kamari Murphy: Inks deal with Nets". CBS Sports. October 12, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  11. ^ Dowd, Tom (November 29, 2017). "Welcome Home Dr. J". NBA.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  12. ^ "Kamari Murphy says he won't join Oostende due to an injury". Sportando. August 21, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  13. ^ "Kamari Murphy: Returns to court following hip injury". CBS Sports. February 12, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  14. ^ "Kamari Murphy: Collects double-double off bench". CBS Sports. February 28, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  15. ^ "Kamari Murphy agreed to terms with Rasta Vechta". Sportando. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  16. ^ "Trevis Simpson, Vechta prevail over Anwil with late surge". Eurohoops. October 15, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  17. ^ Richters, Hauke (March 23, 2020). "Abreisewelle erfasst auch Rasta Vechta". Nordwest Zeitung (in German). Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  18. ^ "Kamari Murphy joins Fraport Skyliners". Sportando. September 26, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  19. ^ "BC Kalev/Cramo brings in Kamari Murphy". Kalev/Cramo. August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  20. ^ "Murphy podkoszowym GTK". plk.pl. July 22, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "Murphy wraca do PLK!". basketzg.pl (in Polish). July 17, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.